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Not Prepared

Dear Salem Family,

We’ve talked a lot the last few weeks about waiting. Advent is the season of waiting. And as I wrote before, I’m no good at that. And apparently, I’m finding out, I’m also not great at — BAM — it’s here! Now, what do I mean by that? I mean, we wait and wait and wait and then all of sudden, what we were waiting for is here. It’s days away. It’s happening and I’m so not prepared. What’s here you may ask? EVERYTHING.

Professionally and personally I feel like I’ve been waiting all December. In December, things in January feel very distant. They feel so far away. In December professionally I’ve been prepping for all things Christmas, making sure Pantry Pack goes well, gearing up for all the Christmas Eve services, making sure things are taken care of when we take a bit of a break between Christmas and New Year. Then, January hits and whoa, I’ve got lists of things that are days away, that I haven’t prepped for because they seemed so far away in December. Personally (as many of you know I’m getting married in February), I’ve been waiting for last minute details of all things wedding. And most of it seemed pretty far away when it was December, and now it’s all hit at once and it’s here. Ready or not, it’s here.

I feel like this is a great correlation to Jesus’ story. To His birth. Ready or not, He was coming. He was coming to change the world. He was coming in to this mess and He was coming to be our light in the darkness. Every year we wait and every year we hear the story of His birth.

We aren’t always prepared for Jesus. We aren’t always prepared for how He’s going to change us or impact us. We aren’t always prepared for how He will use us. It’s the same way I feel every January, when life hits and I’m not prepared. Do I let Him in with an open heart? Am I open to ways he’s going to work in me? I think that’s really what I need to be prepared for. This other stuff will happen, life continues to happen whether we are ready or not. Jesus comes to us, whether we are ready or not.

How will you be open to Him coming to you? What does that look like for you this year?

In Christ’s Love,

Meghan Harmison
Director of Adult Ministries and Outreach

Tags: Weekly Word